Alan Hovhaness — Where to begin?

[Mirror Image]

I look at Hovhaness as I would chocolate. Eating a few pieces is okay, but you have to be careful not to over-indulge yourself or you'll end up sick to your stomach.

[Mirror Image]

Don't let my joking comment fool you, I do like a lot of Hovhaness' music and think quite highly of him as a composer.

[snyprrr]

I also quite like this one for late night listening. Maybe some of it meanders a bit,but again,it's in lovely,lush Telarc sound,it's very relaxing & the combination of the harp & guitar in the piece entitled 'Spirit of Trees', is curiously enthralling. Hypnotic is another word,I suppose. Like new age tapes again,but less boring!! So maybe you should only buy this one if you like the cds listed above!!! Or want a cd for Yoga or Transcendental meditation!!! Get out the incense,get in the lotus position,and.............oh noooo,phone the paramedics,I'm stuck!!!

Concerto for Harp & String Orchestra,Spirit of Trees 'Sonata for Harp & Guitar',Upon Enchanted Ground for Flute,Cello,Giant Tam-Tam & Harp                          Yolanda Kondonassis   Telarc

Must have a rest after all this Hovhaness & typing!!!!

This looks like the best place for me to go.

[vandermolen]

This would be a great way to start investigating Hovhaness or if you just wanted one CD of his music in your collection. Symphony No 50 'Mount St Helens' is probably my favourite of the many I have heard and No 1 'Exile' is also one of the best. The music depicting the eruption of the volcano is very exciting but there are also poetic aspects to the Symphony No 50 ('Spirit Lake').  The Fantasy on Japanese woodprints is worth having too. This reissues material previously issued (on different CDs) on Delos - a fine disc.
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[Karl Henning]

. . . This reissues material previously issued (on different CDs) on Delos - a fine disc.

Yes, I have the source disc with the Mt St Helens Symphony.

[vandermolen]

Yes, I have the source disc with the Mt St Helens Symphony.

That's a great CD Karl.

[Karl Henning]

Greatly enjoying this CD, - especially the performance and recording of Symphony No 6: 'The Celestial Gate' - one of the best I think, and superior to the good performance on Koch. I Fiamminghi from Flanders are a very impressive orchestra.

Revisited this last night, Jeffrey; a wonderful performance, and a beautiful symphony.

[vandermolen]

Revisited this last night, Jeffrey; a wonderful performance, and a beautiful symphony.

Hi Karl, I briefly have Internet access in Stockholm - yes, it is a great work, one of Hovhaness's best I think. I also like the photo of the composer on the original Delos release, which I think you have. The Delos/Naxos is also the best performance of the work. The best introduction to his music I think.

[kyjo]

Hovhaness is a composer who I admit to rather liking. True, his huge output is not entirely guilt-free from a certain "samey" feeling, but there are definitely works that stand out from one another. My three favorite Hovhaness works are Symphonies nos. 1 Exile, 2 Mysterious Mountain and 50 Mount St. Helens. No. 1 is not in Hovhaness' mature style; it is more dramatic and rather Sibelian in places, but certainly none the worse for that (that's actually one of the main reasons I like it)! No. 2, his most famous work, is a simply gorgeous piece with achingly beautiful string lines. Reiner's legendary performance of this work is simply unmissable! No. 50 is surprisingly contrasted for Hovhaness. The first two movements are contemplative and evocative, usual Hovhaness fare, but the third and final movement, Volcano, comes as a shock. It realistically and powerfully depicts the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. It's just so damn awesome! I wish Hovhaness had composed more music like this! Near the end, a hymn-like theme emerges in Hovhanessian splendor, ending the work in a paean to nature. These are my favorite Hovhaness discs:

       

[vandermolen]

Hovhaness is a composer who I admit to rather liking. True, his huge output is not entirely guilt-free from a certain "samey" feeling, but there are definitely works that stand out from one another. My three favorite Hovhaness works are Symphonies nos. 1 Exile, 2 Mysterious Mountain and 50 Mount St. Helens. No. 1 is not in Hovhaness' mature style; it is more dramatic and rather Sibelian in places, but certainly none the worse for that (that's actually one of the main reasons I like it)! No. 2, his most famous work, is a simply gorgeous piece with achingly beautiful string lines. Reiner's legendary performance of this work is simply unmissable! No. 50 is surprisingly contrasted for Hovhaness. The first two movements are contemplative and evocative, usual Hovhaness fare, but the third and final movement, Volcano, comes as a shock. It realistically and powerfully depicts the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. It's just so damn awesome! I wish Hovhaness had composed more music like this! Near the end, a hymn-like theme emerges in Hovhanessian splendor, ending the work in a paean to nature. These are my favorite Hovhaness discs:

       

I very much agree with all your choices. The Symphony No 2 shows the influence of the Tallis Fantasia by Vaughan Williams. The other works I like are Symphony 11 'All Men are Brothers', the 'Odysseus Symphony' (an early discovery for me on LP) and the 'City of Light' Symphony.
S

[kyjo]

I very much agree with all your choices. The Symphony No 2 shows the influence of the Tallis Fantasia by Vaughan Williams. The other works I like are Symphony 11 'All Men are Brothers', the 'Odysseus Symphony' (an early discovery for me on LP) and the 'City of Light' Symphony.
S

It's been a while since I've heard the 11th or 25th (Odysseus) symphonies; I'll have to dig them out sometime. The City of Light Symphony (no. 22) is indeed a beautiful work with ravishing orchestral colors. I wasn't particularly enthralled with the Cello Concerto with which it is coupled on the Naxos disc, so that's why I didn't list that disc among my favorites.

[vandermolen]

It's been a while since I've heard the 11th or 25th (Odysseus) symphonies; I'll have to dig them out sometime. The City of Light Symphony (no. 22) is indeed a beautiful work with ravishing orchestral colors. I wasn't particularly enthralled with the Cello Concerto with which it is coupled on the Naxos disc, so that's why I didn't list that disc among my favorites.

Symphony No. 6 'Celestial Gate' is another favourite.

[pencils]

I am yet to find a piece by Hovhaness that I don't like. Prayer of St. Gregory, this morning while shaking myself ready for work, was majestic.

[Karl Henning]

I am yet to find a piece by Hovhaness that I don't like. Prayer of St. Gregory, this morning while shaking myself ready for work, was majestic.

At times, I felt that his work was too homogeneous (not saying that is the case, just reporting the historical opinion).  And now and again, I would play the Prayer of St Gregory (reading the trumpet part on the clarinet), and I'd realize that the understatement was no flaw, and here was a fine artist.

[cilgwyn]

Quite a while back now,I bought a big load of Hovhaness cds! I think he'd been R3's This Weeks Composer & I was 'grabbed' by some of the music I heard!
Unfortunately,as I eventually discovered,after listening carefully to my pile of Hovhaness cds;some of the jibes about Hovhaness writing the same piece over & over again,DO have more than a grain of truth!
Still,at his best,he is imho,a very original & absorbing composer. Play him to some people who think they don't like classical music,or people who just know all the usual composers like Mozart & beethoven,for example & they'll react like 'Wow! What's that?!!'
To the more jaded listener like me the following cds are a varied selection of Hovhaness at his most individualistic & best,so here goes!!!

A very varied selection in lush 'Delos' sound quality,but Michael York as narrator in the Rubaiyat. A lovely piece & fair play,I'm no fan,but York is suprisingly good. The Exile Symphony is one of his best & the Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints is mysterious & evocative. I love it!

The Rubaiyat,Exile Symphony,Meditation on Orpheus & Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints York/Seattle SO Schwarz       Delos

Karl Henning is absolutely right to pick out the Lousadzak-Concerto for Piano & Strings. This is coupled on a superbly recorded & performed Black Box cd with the Concerto for two Pianos & Orchestra. Haunting,hypnotic,mesmerising works. Again,Hovhaness at his very best!

Concerto for two Pianos,Lousadzak,3 pieces for2 pianos Black Box

A very populist compilation of some of his best Symphonies in fine modern performances & lovely,lush Telarc sound quality:

Mysterious Mountains: Symphony No 2 'Mysterious Mountain',Symphony No 66 'Hymn to Glacier Peak',Symphony No 50 'Mount St Helens & Storm on Mount Wildcat.
                                         RLPO/ Schwarz                     Delos

Hovhaness at his most wild & wacky!!! Like very sophisticated New Age tapes,but less boring,thankfully!! Bells,drones,percussion,brass,etc. Some of Hovhaness's pieces in this vein DO outstay their welcome. These don't! But while the sound quality is pretty good,it would be nice to hear music like this in Delos or Telarc style sound quality!



Requiem & Resurrection for Brass,Choir & Percussion,Symphony No 19 'Vishnu'                Sevan Philharmonic Hovhaness  Crystal

Another example of the above kind of Hovhaness,but in really superb state of the art digital sound quality. This is the kind of recording quality Hovhaness REALLY needs,to get the maximum out of all that exotic,tintinabulating percussion,etc. Maybe some of it goes on a bit too long in places. But what an exotic carpet of sound! Wow!! Play this one to you're hippy friends!!

Visions of the East: Ode to the Temple of Sound,Symphony No 10 'Vahaken',Floating World   Frost SO/ Chung Park          Centaur

Hovhaness's solo piano music at it's most exploratory,exotic & wacky best. The sound is NOT state of the art,but the performances are very good & again,it's another side of Hovhaness at his best! Again,new state of the digital recordings would be wonderful,if some cd label would oblige?!

Khaldis: Concerto for Piano,four trumpets & percussion,Mount Katahdin,Fantasy (This last one,played by Hovhaness himself)
                                                                                    Crystal

I also quite like this one for late night listening. Maybe some of it meanders a bit,but again,it's in lovely,lush Telarc sound,it's very relaxing & the combination of the harp & guitar in the piece entitled 'Spirit of Trees', is curiously enthralling. Hypnotic is another word,I suppose. Like new age tapes again,but less boring!! So maybe you should only buy this one if you like the cds listed above!!! Or want a cd for Yoga or Transcendental meditation!!! Get out the incense,get in the lotus position,and.............oh noooo,phone the paramedics,I'm stuck!!!

Concerto for Harp & String Orchestra,Spirit of Trees 'Sonata for Harp & Guitar',Upon Enchanted Ground for Flute,Cello,Giant Tam-Tam & Harp                          Yolanda Kondonassis   Telarc


One of Hovhaness's best Symphonies,imo,is his Eighth. Unfortunately,as far as I know it has never been released on cd! R3 Composer of the Week included a complete performance,which I recorded & Hovhaness recorded a performance which,apparently (I haven't heard it) leaves that one firmly in the shade!

Fritz Reiner made a famous recording of 'Mysterious Mountain',of course!

A particularly well known work by Hovhaness is his 'And God created Great Whales' for taped Whale song & orchestra. I remember attending a concert performance,once. Unfortunately,a Japanese Whaling ship turned up!
Seriously,imho (again! ) despite the evocative use of Whale song,this is not Hovhaness at his best. I like it,but I can't help thinking I'm just liking it because of the Whale song! Wouldn't I just be better off buying a cd of Whale Song instead?!! Anyway,if you like Classical music with the sounds of nature grafted on,for my money Rautavaara's 'Cantus Articus' is more effective!
                                     
Must have a rest after all this Hovhaness & typing!!!!

I don't really want to go through all this again,right now;but I had a massive pile of Hovhaness cds,and eventually I whittled them all down to these (listed in my post above) which I honestly feel are all you need & very representative of his output at it's best.
I have bought another since,though,which I enjoyed very much:

Symphony No 4 'To the Green Mountains',Symphony No 39 'Symphony for guitar & orchestra' Michael Long (guitar) KBS Symphony Orchestra Vakhtang Jordania   Koch

(deleted unfortunately. I managed to get it at a low price).


                               

[vandermolen]

Super new CD. All performed or recorded in Russia. The Concerto for Two Pianos is classic Hovhaness, yet more abrasive in some sections with the pianos used as a kind of tinkling percussion. The Prayer of St Gregory was given the best performance I know, from a live concert and slower than other versions. Although I am over-familiar with the work I was very moved. Furthermore the accompanying booklet is packed with articles, reminiscences and photos of Hovhaness:
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[kyjo]

Super new CD. All performed or recorded in Russia. The Concerto for Two Pianos is classic Hovhaness, yet more abrasive in some sections with the pianos used as a kind of tinkering percussion. The Prayer of St Gregory was given the best performance I know, from a live concert and slower than other versions. Although I am over-familiar with the work I was very moved. Furthermore the accompanying booklet is packed with articles, reminiscences and photos of Hovhaness:
[asin]B00AG6Z5PI[/asin]

Thanks for pointing this one out, Jeffrey. Will investigate!

[vandermolen]

Thanks for pointing this one out, Jeffrey. Will investigate!

Am sure you will not regret doing so Kyle. 

[Karl Henning]

I am yet to find a piece by Hovhaness that I don't like. Prayer of St. Gregory, this morning while shaking myself ready for work, was majestic.

The Prayer is lovely engagingly simple.

A recent discovery is Khrimian Harig, Op.49 (1944, rev. 1948) which at first seems frightfully not-dissimilar to the Prayer (which is from the 1946 opera Etchmiadzin) . . . and I hate finding bits like that, because of the accusation of sameyness to which Hovhaness appears liable!

Against that, though, is a piece like the 1963 Symphony № 17, Op.203, "Symphony for Metal Orchestra" (6 flutes, 3 trombones, 5 percussion) which is fabulous, perhaps the best piece of his I have heard yet.

[Szykneij]

I knew Hovhaness was born in nearby Somerville, Massacusetts, attended Tufts University just up the street from my home, and was organist at an Armenian church I passed frequently when my wife worked in Watertown, but I just discovered this monument today. Doing some Christmas shopping in nearby Arlington, I walked by it this afternoon. I had never noticed it before, so it might have been newly erected. Maybe Ernie knows?